Flipped
by PenMaster6000
Summary: HP version of Flipped by Wendelin van Draanen. When Hermione first saw Harry, she flipped. When Harry first saw Hermione, he scared her away. This is NOT supposed to stay completely true to either book or series. Rated K plus for mild language.
1. When Harry Met Hermione

Disclaimer: Don't own HP & never will. Fanfic based on "Flipped" by Wendelin van Draanen (one of the best books ever!).

A/N: As you know, this is based on "Flipped". Most of the same basic events occur, but I didn't reword it in different settings and characters like some Fanfics I've seen. R&R! No flames please.

**Chapter 1**

**Harry**

It all started that first day on the Hogwarts Express. Ron was just about to show me a spell to turn his rat yellow when a girl our ago decked out in the full Hogwarts uniform came into our compartment looking for someone's toad.

"Oh, are you doing magic?" she asked when she saw Ron holding his wand. "Let's see it, then."

Ron looked a little upset for being interrupted, but he continued nevertheless:

"_Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow,_

_Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow._"

Needless to say, it didn't work. The girl had a somewhat triumphant and amused look on her face. She said, "Are you sure that's a _real _spell? Well, it isn't very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells over the summer, and they've all worked for me."

Ron looked at me. We both didn't like this girl's 1st impression.

Ms. Know-It-All sat down across from me. "For example…" She took her wand out and waved it while stating clearly, "_Orculous Reparo!_"

In an instant my glasses were fixed. That day had been so strange that I was practically getting used to all this magic. I mean, I'd only read about this stuff in books the 1st 11 years of my life, and there it was, happening right before my eyes!

As I was examining my fixed glasses, Ms. Know-It-All gasped. "Holy cricket!" she breathed. "You're Harry Potter! My name's Hermione. I've been reading up on witchcraft and wizardry ever since I got my acceptance letter, and you are in quite a few of those books."

Excitement spread all over her face, then fell as she turned to Ron. "And, you are…?"

"Ron Weasley," replied Ron through a mouthful of chocolate frogs.

"Er, pleasure," she muttered, her nosy face looking disgusted, and then she turned to me.

What was that look on her face? _Oh, no,_ I thought. _Oh, no_. _This girl is _not _in love with me._

I glared at her and leaned forward in an attempt to scare her away. The glare did work, apparently, because she became flustered, stood up, and gave us one last pushy instruction: "You two had better get into your robes. We'll be arriving soon." Then she turned and left.

Ron and I silently cheered, thinking that we'd seen the last of the Bossy One. Unfortunately, we were wrong.

**Hermione**

The first day I met Harry Potter, I flipped. It must have been those eyes. Oh! Sparkling and shimmering like little emeralds. I'd been dying to be with him since that day.

It was on the Hogwarts Express. I was overly excited about being a witch out of a family of muggles, so I read a whole lot about wizardry and was dying to do anything another witch or wizard told me to do. Therefore, I joyfully followed a shy, round-faced boy named Neville's request to ask everyone if they'd seen his toad, Trevor.

While I was making my rounds, I peeked into a compartment. There sat the most adorable creature I had ever seen: a boy with messy, jet black hair, green eyes, and broken glasses. I hoped I could be the one to fix those!

I waited outside the compartment for a moment so I could collect myself, and then I took a deep breath and went in. "Has anyone seen a toad?" I asked. "A boy named Neville's lost his."

"No," said the other boy, a redhead. The were both pigging out on various candies. The redhead was holding a wand.

"Oh, are you doing magic?" I asked, fascinated. "Let's see it, then."

The redhead began:

"_Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow,_

_Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."_

Well, if anything, _that_ lessened my faith in wizards. I was dying to fix the cute one's glasses, so I decided to demonstrate a _real_ spell to the both of them.

I sat across from the cute boy. A weird sensation came over me as I looked into his eyes.

"_Orculous Reparo!_" I said nice and clearly as I waved my wand. And… I'd done it! He looked pretty impressed.

Suddenly, I saw a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt peeking out from underneath his bangs. Who knew the Boy Who Lived was so cute?

"Holy cricket!" I blurted. "You're Harry Potter!"

I introduced myself, and the redhead introduced himself as Ron Weasley.

I then turned to face Harry. He gazed at me, and then leaned forward. Was he going to _kiss_ me?

Embarrassed, I got up. I told them to get into their robes, as we were pretty close to our arrival at Hogwarts, and then I left.

As I was walking back to my compartment, I realized that Harry would be holding in that kiss forever. I hoped I would see him again.

_My Harry, _I thought. _Still walking around with my first kiss_.

A/N: A testimony, if you will. Lol. Please review! And keep reading! No flames please.


	2. Through the Years

Disclaimer: Own nothing.

A/N: As you can tell, this is how it's going to go: Harry, Hermione, Harry, Hermione… and son and so forth. R&R! No flames.

**Chapter 2**

**Harry**

Hermione ended up in Gryffindor with Ron and me. Which meant, of course, that she was in all my classes.

Ron was always keen of befriending her. "C'mon, she's smart!" he'd say. "Think about it---no more homework or troubles!"

So we hung out as a two-and-a-halfsome, because I kept my distance. I did NOT want her to get any ideas that we were friends. But, noooo, she hung around me ALL the time. Malfoy was always jeering, "Hey, Potty! The mudblood girlfriend doing all right?"

And the heroics I did at the end of each year did not help one bit. She just fawned over me more, especially after she came out of her Petrified state in 2nd year. (I actually felt sorry before she was un-Petrified.)

3rd year she got a bit attached to Ron, so I was very happy. Then I got into a fight with Ron in 4th year, which left Her-whiny to stick to me like _glue_. Thank G-d I made up with him after the first task.

In 5th year, I sat next to her in Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall thought I could use some sense, but I think she already knew from 4 years as Head of Gryffindor with us that I simply couldn't stand her. And Dumbledore, too. I mean, _prefect_? With _her_?

So there was bad: She _sniffed_ me. I'm telling you. Full on _sniffed_. Every day she'd lean over and _sniff_. Even when I tried to block her with my bag, she'd lean over it and keep it up. Ugh. What was she, an alien?

The good: Her perfect answers were right in front of me during written exams. And she'd always whisper the correct answers to me during lessons, so I'd do excellently and McGonagall was proud. Problem: She knew that sitting next to Hermione made a difference, which it did, but I was still stuck there for the rest of the year. Damn McGonagall.

So I hatched my plan.

See, she _hates_ Cho Chang. Hermione, I mean. I couldn't understand it. I mean, what wasn't to love? Beautiful, smart, funny… but Hermione hated her despite that.

So I asked Cho out.

Hermione was pissed, and decided to avoid me. Yes!

But then Cho disliked me. All because I wouldn't talk with her about Cedric. Who wants to talk about their worst experience ever, losing a friend to Voldemort? Well, I sure don't. And she sure does.

So she dumped me.

And Hermione got goo-goo eyed again.

But 6th year would be different. I wanted to be an Auror; she wanted to do something else, so we'd have to take different classes.

We'd definitely be separate.

Right?

**Hermione**

All through the years, I knew Harry was great. I think he liked me, too. He always looked at me, and when I looked back at him he'd blush and turn away. So shy… and so cute!

In 2nd year, he saved my life. More like Ginny Weasley's life, as well as the whole school, but I knew he cared, or else I would have remained Petrified.

In 3rd year, I met up with Ron during the summer after I was in France and he in Egypt. At first, I was disappointed that Harry wasn't with him. But by the time Harry came, I had already decided to play hard-to-get; I would stick to closer to Ron this year and make Harry chase after me. Sadly, this idea didn't work; he just kept on with his business and saved his and Sirius Black's skins.

In 4th year, he got mad at Ron. Harry told me that it was because Ron was upset about him being in the Triwizard Tournament. There was a small, desperate part of me that hoped that Harry was jealous of Ron and me last year.

Unfortunately for me, Harry and Ron made up after the first task.

IN 5th year, Harry and I became prefects! I was SO excited. This was a chance for us to bond, because we would have to be together very often. He also sat next to me in Transfiguration. Oh, how I enjoyed whispering answers to him and sniffing his watermelon-scented hair! But one day, I was Cho Chang and Harry holding hands. How the hell did _she_ get _my_ guy! Harry looked over at me to see my reaction. I knew he wanted me to help him, so I did my best to get Cho off his case and hatched a brilliant plan.

One day I approached Cho, despite my immense hatred toward her. "Hey, Cho," I said.

"Hi," she replied, flabbergasted that we would ever have a normal conversation with each other.

"So," I began, "I hear you're going out with Harry."

"Yeah," she said. "He's great."

"Well," I continued, before she could add in another word of mush, "you know the Tournament last year? About the graveyard and how Cedric---you know---"

Her eyes filled with tears as she nodded.

"Harry shares your pain. He _saw _Cedric die. You could talk to him about it. I know for a fact that he will _completely_ understand."

"Really?" asked Cho, smiling sheepishly.

"Really," I assured her, giving her my you-are-so-stupid-for-falling-for-this-trick grin.

"Okay," she said, wiping her eyes. "Thanks, Hermione."

"No problem," I replied sweetly. Cho left.

I have to admit, I felt a little bad because I had practically befriended her, but I reminded myself that she stole Harry and pulled myself together.

A week later, I saw Harry sitting in the common room with a frustrated look on his face.

"Harry?" I asked. "What's wrong?"

"Cho," he mumbled.

"What about her?" I inquired innocently.

He turned to face me. "She always starts crying on me and wants to talk about Cedric! Who wants to talk about their living nightmare! Apparently, _she_ does and she dumped me, and all she does now is follow me and say how 'insensitive' I am." Then he stomped off.

_Yes! It worked! _I cheered silently. Maybe now Harry would come around with my kiss. After all, he had 6th and 7th year to do that.

A/N: Please review, no flames. By the way, this is only the beginning. Chap 3 will turn you around.


	3. The Old Oak

Disclaimer: Own nothing. If I did, I don't think this story would be up here.

A/N: Here's the small climax… I hope you like! R&R, No flames please.

**Chapter 3**

**Harry**

Any guy my age usually enjoys attention from girls of any kind. But me? I think Hermione could give me a little space. I mean, she _sees_ that I don't want her near me… or does she?

Well, I was wrong about 6th year. We were still in a lot of the same classes, despite our different career desires. _And_ she didn't sit near me anymore, so I had to really work hard.

Ron didn't want to be an Auror or whatever Hermione wanted to be, just whatever was easiest and didn't require Potions, so he couldn't save me from Ms. Know-It-All in Potions, just Transfiguration.

Ron sat groggily next to me during Transfiguration, and today, I must say, he was not doing too well. Now, Ron and I have developed a knack for Transfiguring and do it very well, but today he was less than satisfactory.

"Mr. Weasley!" barked Professor McGonagall. "Will you _please _pay attention!"

"I'm sorry, Professor," Ron protested, "but at 7:00 this morning, Hermione yelled, 'Good morning, Hogwarts!' and woke me up and I couldn't fall back asleep!" Hermione blushed.

It was true. Hermione had a passion for the old oak outside the dormitory windows and climbed it early in the morning. When 7:00 came, she'd yell, "GOOD MORNING, HOGWARTS!" For me, it was just a bother because I woke up at 7:00 anyways, and her voice just wasn't pleasant. But Ron…. Ron's first class wasn't until noon, so he liked to party late and wake up at 10:00, along with a lot of other Gryffindor guys. So when Hermione woke everyone up, they got _no_ sleep.

"Surely you needed her wake-up call?" asked McGonagall with raised eyebrows.

"No! My first class is this one!" Ron exclaimed.

McGonagall just clicked her tongue disapprovingly instead of lecturing him on early rising and out of pity for Her-whiny. After all, she was obsessed with that tree. If someone's broom got caught up there, she'd shimmy right up its enormous trunk and get it down in a flash. If the sunset was particularly beautiful one night, you'd see her up in that tree, ruining the sight. I should know. I wanted to go watch it with Cho one time last year, but Hermione just _had_ to be up there, making sure we didn't have any privacy.

"Please see me after class, Mr. Weasley. And, no, you're not in trouble," she added when he opened his mouth to protest.

I waited for Ron after Transfiguration. He came out a lot less tired with a flask the size of your basic water bottle.

"She gave me this," he said cheerfully. "It's a caffeine Potion. Now I can stay awake in class. Oh, and these magical earplugs. I can tell them to block out Hermione's morning crow with a special spell. Watch." Ron drew out his wand, moved it in a circular motion, and muttered, _"Blockout Hermione!"_ and stuffed them in his ears. Just then, as if on cue, Hermione walked up to us. Ron was staring at the portraits.

"Hi, Harry," she said. "Hi, Ron." Ron, of course, didn't hear her, but, as you probably would have guessed, she was too busy being absorbed in me to notice. Ugh.

"Harry, would you like to study together tonight?" she asked excitedly. We usually studied together at least once a week because she asked me every night and, hey, she was pretty smart.

"Oh, sorry, I can't," I replied. "Ron and I are studying together."  
"Yup," said Ron.

"Oh," said a put-down Hermione. "Well, tell your mom I say hi, Ron…. Ron! I'M TALKING TO----" Hermione's eyes fell on Ron's ears. Comprehension dawned on her face, as well as a tiny smile as she withdrew her wand. She waved it in a small circle and cried _"Blockout All!"_ Almost immediately, Ron shook his head and whipped around. When he saw Hermione, he tried to yell, but the words wouldn't come out right because he couldn't hear himself. As he struggled to take them out, Hermione grinned at me, turned, and ran away.

"I swear," Ron spluttered angrily, "if any more smartasses toy with my earplugs…" He then made a rather rude gesture with one of his fingers.

"Oh, come off it," I said. "You're the one who told me we had to hang with her back in first year."  
Ron scowled, but didn't say anything back. I'd got him.

Suddenly, we heard a shriek of "I won't get down from here, no matter how hard you try!"

I groaned. Today they were to perform a Severing Charm on the oak and cut it down forever, but Miss Loner just wouldn't come down.

Ron and I rushed outside to where the tree stood seven stories tall.

"Harry!" yelled Hermione. "Parvati! Seamus! Lavender! Ron! Don't let them cut it down!"

"_Harry, Parvati, Seamus, Lavender Ron, I think you're my friends but I'm really the Lone Granger!"_ I heard a voice behind me say in a mimicking way. I whipped around to see none other than Draco Malfoy and his Slytherin posse.

"Poor Potty," sneered Malfoy with false pity. "His girlfriend's probably going to die up there."

I simply rolled my eyes and turned around. I learned to not let that drawling doofus bother me.

"Ooh, someone's an unfaithful partner," he drawled.

"Oh, really?" I said coolly, my back still turned to him. "I didn't know you were so honest about yourself, Dragon-Breath."

There was silence for a moment, and then I saw a rather tall finger in my face, followed by a voice that said, "Let's go, guys. I don't want to be around any losers."

"Then ditch your friends and die, Malfoy!" I yelled.

No sooner had I realized that Hermione was pushing past me and running to her dorm as the cry of _"Diffindo!"_ rang out morbidly.

And to tell you the truth, I felt sorry for Hermione Granger that day.

And finally learned her last name.

**Hermione**

Well, I was wrong about 6th year. Though we were still in a lot of classes together despite our career differences, he didn't sit next to me anymore and I didn't get my kiss.

Ron didn't want to be an Auror, like Harry, or a Curer, like me, but he was still in Transfiguration with us, so I didn't get to escape the burden of sharing homework just yet.

Along with these differences, the spot in my heart for Harry had to make more room for the old oak outside the Gryffindor Common Room window. Every morning, I'd climb up and watch the last bit of the sunrise. When 7:00 AM came, which is the time Harry is usually in the Common Room, I crowed, "Good morning, Hogwarts!" Sometimes I got "Shut up, Pennington!" from those who came from muggle families, or bunches of groans from the I-party-all-night-because-my-first-class-is-at-noon people like Ron. But that didn't stop me.

Sometimes I'd see couples who thought they were alone on the edge of the riverbank holding hands or kissing. I even saw Cho and Harry making out there last year. Ugh. I think she may have rushed him too much back then.

It was one day after Ron embarrassed me and I made his own Magiplugs backfire that I saw Professor Flitwick and a bunch of other Professors around the tree. Suddenly, I understood that they were to sever it, so I climbed up as fast as I could.

"I won't get down from here, no matter how hard you try!" I yelled.

Suddenly, I saw Harry amongst a crowd of fellow Gryffindors. "Harry!" I yelled. "Parvati! Seamus! Lavender! Ron! Don't let them cut it down!"

I could see Malfoy and Harry getting into a dis-fight, probably because Malfoy taunted me. He deserved that punch I gave him in third year.

Soon, the crowd left and I hung on until Snape tricked me down by saying that I could remain up there if I swallowed Veritaserum daily and yelled my innermost secrets for the entire school to hear. I did not want _that_ to happen, so I reluctantly came down, pushed past the remains of the crowd, and ran to my dormitory.

When I got there, I flung myself on the bed and burst into tears.

A/N: You like? Pleeease review!


	4. The US of A

Disclaimer: Heck, just look at the other chapters.

A/N: R&R, plz review, no flames plz.

**Chapter 4**

**Harry**

Summer. How I love that season. That summer, I moved from the Dursleys' to the Loskis', our good family friends in the US, because the Ministry found out hose they treated me at the Dursleys'. So I had a Granger-free, Dursley-free vacation with Bryce Loski, a boy a year older than me.

Or so I thought.

The Loskis are muggles. My mother, apparently, was really good friends with Patsy, Mrs. Loski, as kids. After my mother got selected for and went off to Hogwarts, her family moved and Patsy's old family moved in. The Evanses, my mother's family, left no notice of where they were, so my mother stayed with Patsy. The day after she turned 20, Mum got a notice that her parents had died, and that her sister, Petunia, got married. It was that day that her boyfriend of there years, a.k.a. my father, James Potter, proposed to her. She accepted and they got married a year later, before which Patsy moved to the US and got married. Two years after that, Voldemort blasted my parents, and well, you know the rest.

The first day there, Bryce warned me that his granddad was staying with them from then on and that he was pretty cranky, and that I should give him my newspapers after I was finished with them to earn his satisfaction because he loved any type of news.

"But the pictures in the _Daily Prophet_ move!" I said. "Wouldn't he be freaked out?"

"Oh, no way," said Bryce. "He'll be fascinated. Like I said, he loves _any_ type of news."

He was, indeed, fascinated. Not only because the pictures moved, though, but because the article about Hermione's tree incident made front page news at the beginning of the summer.

"Isn't her family's summer home across the street from us?" Chet asked (that's his name).

"Yeah," said Bryce.

My eyes widened. "Hermione l-lives across the street!" I exclaimed.

"Uh-huh," said Bryce. "She's real nice, not to mention a genius of a witch."

"Boy, do I know," I grumbled.

Bryce smiled. "This tree thing… sounds similar to Juli's problem a few years ago."

"Juli?" I wondered aloud.

"Baker," he answered. "My girlfriend of four years."

I nearly choked on my pumpkin juice. "She was in love with a tree, and you've been _dating_ her?"

Bryce sighed. "Bro," he said, "you've got a lot to learn."

And he told me the most amazing story about how him and Juli; how much of an annoying show-off she was when, really, all she wanted was the kiss she thought Bryce was about to give her in second grade. (It was a misunderstanding.)

"So---so you're saying I should give the Lone Granger a chance?" I asked.

He frowned. "Granger? Is that what you said?"

"Yeah, her last name kinda fits doesn't it?" I smiled sheepishly. "Hermione Granger, the Lone Ranger…?"

"Yeah, I get it, but… isn't she Juli's younger sister? Hermione _Baker_?"

**Hermione**

Summer. The season in our US summer home, without Harry.

Or so I thought.

My one-year-older sister, Julianna, has been dating Bryce Loski from across the street, so Bryce comes over a lot. This time, he had a big surprise.

"Hey, Hermione!" he said, greeting me with a brotherly hug. "You beat Harry home."

My eyes widened as I broke away from Bryce's hug. "_Harry!"_ I asked. "Harry _Potter!"_

"Yeah," he replied. "Didn't you know? The Ministry of Magic found out that the Dursleys were treating him nastily, so he lives with us now. My mom was good friends with Lily before that whole… massacre. Is he your friend or something?"

"Oh," I said, eyes cast down. "Sorta."

"I see," he said. "It was the same with me and Juli. You know, you should talk to her. She's better at listening."  
I smiled. "Okay."

Bryce turned to look out our front window. "Oh, gotta go. Harry's here!"

"Bye!" I called.

"See you!" he replied.

I took his advice and went to Juli's room. "Juli?" I said through the crack in the door.

"Yeah?" I heard her say. She's been living here with my dad while my Mom lives in England to work, so she has a distinct American accent, like Bryce. (My parents aren't divorced.)

I entered her room. "What happened with you and Bryce a few years ago?"

She sighed. "To make a seven-year story short, I liked him and thought he liked me back, but he didn't. In 8th grade, though, his perspective changed after my tree incident and he liked me back. He planted that sycamore in the back. And now, we date."

Suddenly, the _Daily Prophet_ owl flew into her window and dropped the latest edition on my lap. I put 5 knuts in the leather pocket attached to its claw and then glanced at the front page… at myself! I quickly covered it up.

"Hermione," Juli said authoritatively.

I pouted and reluctantly handed her the paper. She took one look at it and laughed. "This is such déjà vu." She smiled. "I think Bryce's granddad is going to force _Harry_ to read this and then I just know he'll like you… not because you're famous, but because he'll realize that he didn't really get to know you.

"How do you know?" I asked.

"The same thing happened to me," she answered. "Not the emphasis on 'Harry' and 'this'."

I gaped at the article. I skimmed through it. Wow. It really _knew_ me… if it was possible for a _newspaper_ to know me… and in between that, it praised me--- a _lot_. I smiled. Harry liking me…. Sounded good.

A/N: YES, Bryce and Juli(anna) are from "Flipped". I decided to throw my plot around… PLEASE review. Even if this is SO not true to the series or the book, chillax because in case you didn't notice, this site is lol. No flames please.


	5. Flipped

Disclaimer: Don't own "Flipped" characters OR the HP stuff. Get it? Got it? Too bad.

A/N: You're going to love the nextthree chapters (including this one)! As if you wouldn't. :-D. R&R! I won't put up the next chapter if you don't! No flames please!

**Chapter 5  
**

**Harry**

My mouth dropped open. "Hermione _Baker?_ You mean I misheard her last name and now…? Nah, you have the wrong Hermione."

"Oh, come on, how many Hermiones can there be?" said Chet. "Read the article."

"But---" I began to protest.

"Read it!" Chet insisted.

I sighed and read it. I was amazed. The reporter praised Hermione and told the readers all about her. I t was then that I realized that I had not known Hermione Baker. At _all_.

"This---this is incredible," I said, just as Bryce walked across the street.

At dinner, Bryce returned. "Hey, son," said Patsy as Bryce helped himself to some steak. "What kept you so long?" "Oh, just some stuff I had to look up for Harry," he replied. He looked up at me and gave me a look that said _Room. After dinner. _So, I went to his room with him after dinner. "So," he said, closing the door, "what do you think about Hermione now?"

"I just feel like I don't really know her," I said. "Why, did she tell you about her wild crush on me?"

"Unfortunately, yes," he began. "She raved about you and then… she realized that you… haven't ever been… kind of… supportive."

I was shocked. Hermione? Say _that_ about me? Completely forget about liking me? _But_, I thought, _I really can't blame her_. "Well, I admit it," I said wildly. "But that was in the past. Can't she forgive me now!"

Bryce looked up glumly at me. "Write me after your Basket Boys ceremony, and I'll send you some oak tree seeds." He left. I could tell he understood… I now liked Hermione Baker more than ever. And her heart had just gone cold.

**Hermione**

Did Harry liking me _really_ sound good? I started to think about it. He did study with me… then again, I provided most of the notes. We'd hang out together sometimes… then again, he liked to go to the library more often than not. He liked me back… wait, no he didn't!

I sank my face into my pillow. I couldn't believe what I just realized. He wasn't all that great. He was cute, sure. He was smart, because I gave him answers. He was funny and kind, with other people. I couldn't believe that I hadn't seen within six years that Harry just wanted space and I didn't give it to him. So my heart automatically did him a favor. It went cold. It tied itself in a knot of apathy.

I was through with Harry Potter.

That freezing moment, I heard a knock on my door. "Hermione? It's Bryce."

"Come in," I said, my voice muffled by my pillow. "What's up?" I said turning to face him.

"Harry's read your article," he reported.

"Oh," I said coolly. "That's all?"

"I thought you'd be happy that he'd read it," he said, shocked.

Suddenly, I found myself spilling my thoughts from before and told him how I now didn't care about Harry.

Bryce sighed. "Hermione, you shouldn't resent it. _He_ will. You can stil like him and he'll realize…" Bryce paused to sigh again. "…he'll realize what a jerk he was for not getting to really know you before."

"Let me guess," I grunted. "The same thing happened---"

"---with me and Juli," he finished. "Yes. But---"

"Look, I don't _care_ if you and Juli had the same situation!" I yelled. "This _isn't_ you and Juli. This is _Harry _and_ me_. I ask for advice, and what do I get? 'The same thing happened with me and Juli'. Or, 'The same thing happened with me and Bryce.' So! It's not like we have to follow in your footsteps. Does every relationship have to happen like yours? Do you _want_ history to repeat itself? I don't think so! Matt and Mike are different. You know that Loretta is _totally_ different. Our---relationship--doesn't---have---to be---the same!"

There was an awkward silence. I looked at Bryce. He looked surprised to see me yelling like that. I was surprised with myself as well.

"It's dinnertime," Bryce said calmly and quietly, as if nothing had happened. "I'd better get going." As he was going out the door, he paused and turned around. "I know it doesn't have to be the same, but déjà vu is déjà vu, and at least think about what I said. It could turn out to be good advice." And then he walked out.

I decided to just go to sleep. I'd already done too much thinking.

A/N: Uh-oh! What will happen? It's all up to you… review and BAM! No flames, please. Oh, and sorry it's so short.


	6. The Diner and the Dinner

Disclaimer: Okay, do I _really_ have to write it again?

A/N: R&R. No flames please.

**Chapter 11**

**Harry**

The next morning I wandered into the kitchen in my boxers and a t-shirt to find Robert, Trina, Matt, Mike, Julianna, and Hermione Baker at the Loskis' kitchen table discussing plans with Patsy. My heart started pumping wildly and my brain went into overdrive. I ran to get changed when I heard, "Harry?" It was Patsy. "Yeah?" I replied, turning around. Whew. The Bakers had left in the short time I was running.

"I invited the Bakers over for dinner tonight," she said. "I just wanted to let you know so you wouldn't be surprised when they come and so, well, you don't come to the door like this." She smiled.

I smiled back. "Don't worry, I'll be wearing flannel pajama bottoms instead," I joked.

Patsy rolled her eyes and grinned. "You and Bryce…" She left the room.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot," she hollered. "Don't say a WORD about her mentally disabled Uncle David. My former husband made that large mistake a few years ago."

Later that afternoon, I went with Ben, Bryce's friend, to the local hangout, Hal's Diner.

"So," said Ben, grinning, "what's up with you and Hermione? Juli says it's on. Not like I talk with her much."

I put my drink down. "I don't know," I said. "She doesn't like me anymore."

"Ooh, bro, sounds like it just disappeared…_fwoosh!_" Ben said. _These Americans and their slang…_I thought,_ especially when they're not so bright…_

"Well, kind of. I never knew so much about her, though."

"Like…?"

"Like that she has a retarded uncle."

"Oh," said Ben. "So that explains her. Get it?" He grinned.

Anger rose up in me. I felt like punching him, shoving him under the table, throwing him out the window, yelling at him… something. Instead, I did the cowardly thing.

"Oh," I chuckled. "Right."

I was anxious when the Bakers came. Anxious meaning both excited _and_ nervous. Maybe Hermione and my relationship could rise to a new level. Maybe I could explain my dilemma to her in such a way that she'd fall back in love with me.

_Yeah, right, Harry_, I thought later on. _You _actually_ thought that would happen?_

When Hermione came into the house she threw me a funny look and said, "I'm glad I got over you." She said the word 'you' like it was poison.

I was confused. "Hermione, wh---?"

"Let's see if this sounds familiar," she interrupted, " 'Oh, haha, right!' "

No way. She'd heard me. I was completely and utterly shocked. I really _should've_ yelled at Ben. "I wanted to defend you, Hermione, but Ben would've thought---"

"Who cares what Ben Simpson thinks?" she snapped. "Juli says he's a stuck-up nuisance and no one cares what he thinks."

"Well, he is---"

"So you could've defended me. And you didn't. That's the story," she concluded flatly.

Hermione was right. I closed my mouth and crumpled onto the couch.

We were kind of quiet throughout dinner, Hermione and I. The Bakers and the Loskis were a lot friendlier because Bryce and Loretta's dad wasn't there (the Loskis are divorced) and because Bryce and Juli are going out, but Hermione and me… I just felt terrible.

As they were leaving, Hermione said, "Harry, I'm sorry I flipped out like that before."

I hung my head and kept silent.

"Harry?" she repeated. "I said I'm sorry."

I nodded and looked up at her, head still hung. Her face had a sympathetic look on it. Then she waved goodbye and left with her parents, Matt, Mike, and Julianna. It was then that I realized our emotions were like water and oil: they could mix for a second or tow, but one would eventually resurface.

**Hermione**

The next morning, my family and I went to the Loskis' to discuss things with Mrs. Loski.

"So," she said as we sat down at the kitchen table, "it's about time we got together again as two families."

Everyone murmured in agreement. I love how we have to have meetings over this.

"What shall we do?" Mrs. Loski asked.

"Dinner?" asked Juli. "I mean, we did that a while back. Why not now?"

"Yea, and Loretta can showcase our latest song," said Matt.

"And our latest CD cover idea," added Mike.

"And your latest band name," said Mom. My brothers can never decide on a band name. They've gone from Mystery Pisser to Pisser to Piss Poor to Rags… I think their latest is Rags to Riches.

"Well, then, dinner it is," agreed Mrs. Loski, "but I hope the showcasing doesn't take too long."

Suddenly, I saw Harry wander into the room in his pajamas, freeze, and then run out. I bit my lip to keep from laughing. We then left.

"I sure hope Mr. Loski doesn't say anything about Uncle David again," said Juli.

"Hasn't Bryce told you?" asked Dad.

"Told me what?" asked a puzzled Juli.

Dad and Mom exchanged glances. "Honey," Mom said, "the Loskis are divorced."

"Oh _yeah_," said Juli. "Well."

We were silent.

Later that day, I went to Hal's Diner with Tara Tressler, Juli's friend's sister. The second we got there, she spotted Harry with Ben Simpson.

"Omigoshomigosh!" Tara squealed. "Let's go sit behind them." She dragged me to the booth behind them, sat me down, and sat down herself. I wasn't embarrassed, though, because I knew that she had ADD and would probably miss a lot of stuff that Harry or Ben said.

"…never knew so much about her, though," we heard Harry say.

"Like…?" asked Ben.

"Like that she has a mentally disabled uncle," replied Harry hesitantly. Oh, G-d help me. He _had_ to be talking about me.

"Oh. So that explains her," Ben said. "Get it?" Ben grinned. Why, that foul little…!

I could see Harry's ears turn red, which meant he was getting angry. I knew my ears turned red as well.

"He's gonna pummel him," whispered Tara. "He _loves_ you. Oh, hey Sharlynne!" She ran off.

Uh, wrong-o.

"Oh," Harry chuckled. "Right."

I got up. I was dizzy. How could he? Didn't he like me? "C'mon, Tara. I feel more like having Mum's homemade muffins than Harr--- a hamburger."

And we left.

I was confident when I entered the Loskis' house. If Harry had mind enough to joke rudely about me, he sure as hell did not like me anymore.

This was NOT true.

The moment I set foot into the Loskis', I shot him what I hoped was a hostile and said, "I'm glad I got over you."

I don't know _why_, but he looked confused. "Hermione, wh---?"

"Let's see if this sounds familiar," I interrupted. " 'Oh, haha, right!'?"

A look of dawning comprehension crossed his face. "I wanted to defend you, Hermione, but Ben would've thought---"

"Who _cares_ what Ben Simpson thinks!" I burst out. "Juli says he's a stuck-up nuisance and nobody cares what he thinks."

"Well, he is---"

"So you could've defended me," I interrupted for the third time. "And you didn't. That's the story."

That got him. But all through the rest of dinner, I couldn't help thinking about the I-feel-terrible look on his face. I started to feel that way, too. I shouldn't have been so harsh on him.

As we were leaving, I went up to Harry and apologized. He just stood there, his head hung.

"Harry?" I repeated. "I said I'm sorry."

He nodded and looked up at me, head still hung. In those few seconds that I looked into his yes, the past flashed through my eyes: his parents dying when he was a year old; saving the Sorcerer's Stone; rescuing Ginny from the clutches of Voldemort in the Chamber of Secrets; saving Sirius Black; seeing Voldemort being returned to power; fighting Voldemort and his followers; watching Dumbledore die; finally moving from the evil Dursleys.

"Hermione!" called Mum. "Let's go!"

I waved goodbye to Harry and left.

Right then, a tiny part of my heart wanted Harry again.

A/N: Will the next chapter be up? It's up to you.

It might be if you simply review.

Hehe. No flames please.


	7. Basket Boys

Disclaimer: How many times do I need to tell you? Just get it through your thick heads already! I don't own anything!

A/N: And now, the moment you have been waiting for… hehe. Not like I have a huge audience. :-(. R&R, No Flames Please.

**Chapter 7**

**Harry**

Hogwarts was back, Hermione and I were Head Girl and Head Boy, Apparition tests were passed, and Basket Boys were around the corner. Ugh.

Basket Boys is a yearly ceremony at Hogwarts. All the seventh year girls vote on which seventh year guys they think are the hottest and the twenty with the most votes get embarrassed to death by having to wear muggle suits and carrying around a picnic basket with a lunch, and then they get bid on by the girls, like a bachelor auction. And, goddamn it, I got the most votes.

Now, it's nice to get the girls and be "Mr. Chick Magnet" as Ron says, but I was NOT prepared to handle the embarrassment that followed.

"Hey, Mr. Chick Magnet," said Ron the day of the Basket Boys. "Most people reckon Cho Chang and Padma Patil are gonna bid on YOU!"

"Mm," I mumbled, completely uninterested.

"Oh, go on, Harry! We're talking about the most beautiful girls in the entire school here!"

"Mm-hm," I muttered blankly.

"You're not thinking about Hermione again, are you?" Ron asked skeptically.

I rolled my eyes and Disapparated to my room. Twenty minutes later, I heard Ron panting outside the door. He hadn't passed his tests yet, so he had to walk everywhere.

"Oh, c'mon, Harry," pleaded Ron. "Tell me what's up."

"No!" I called. "Leave me alone. I've got to prepare my basket." I Apparated to the kitchen.

Now, what I had told Ron was a lie. My basket was already prepared by the house elves. I only went to the kitchen to see Dobby, where I would hopefully be waited on hand and foot and be cheered up. But I had no time to do so, as he soon pointed out.

"Harry Potter, sir!" squeaked Dobby. "What is you doing here, sir?"

"Well, I thought I'd stop by for a visit," I said.

"But Harry Potter is supposed to be at the Baskethead Boys Ceremony, sir!" cried Dobby, holding out my basket.

I looked at my watch. He was right! I grabbed the basket and Disapparated to the Great Hall.

"…to the annual Basket Boys ceremony," I heard McGonagall saying as I Apparated in the seat next to… Ron!

"What are _you _doing up here!" I whispered fiercely.

"I should've known you'd only spot your own name," Ron whispered in reply.

Whoops.

Ron filled me in. Along with us were Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle (Malfoy had blackmailed the school), Justin Finch-Fletchley, Neville Longbottom, Brain Jones, John Anderson, Garrett Johnson, Frank Buckingham, George Murray, Ian Crewe, Thomas Moore, Eli Pinckney, A.J. Morgan, Jeremy Hill, and Ray Wesson.

First up was Ron. We all knew that Bulging Millicent Bullstrode would go for him because Ron's mom packed a load of food. But, surprisingly, Luna Lovegood outbid her. Ron was still groaning as he passed me on his way down the steps and into the Staff Room, where we Basket Boys were to eat with our highest bidders.

Guy after guy went until Neville Longbottom, Ian Crewe, and I were left. I was secretly relieved that Hermione hadn't bid on anyone yet.

"Neville Longbottom," read Professor McGonagall. "Honey biscuits, blueberry muffins, Yorkshire pudding, and Pumpkin Pasties."

Silence.

"Do I hear ten sickles?" asked McGonagall.

More silence.

Suddenly, a cry of "Ten!" was heard throughout the hall. Hermione.

"Twelve!" another voice said. I was shortly relieved until Hermione once again yelled, "Fourteen!"

"Sixteen"

"Eighteen!"

"Eighteen sickles…going once… going twice… SOLD to Hermione Baker!" called McGonagall.

"It's okay, mate," muttered Ian. "You've still got Cho and Padma."

Hmph. So much for the secret.

It was my turn next. "Harry Potter," McGonagall read. "Strawberry tarts, chocolate frogs---"

"Twenty!" yelled Cho Chang.

"Thirty!" protested Padma Patil.

"Forty!"

"Fifty!"

"Sixty!"

"One hundred!" It was Bulging Bullstrode. Noooo! C'mon, Cho, Padma, bid! BID! "One hundred sickles," said McGonagall. "Going once…going twi---"

"One hundred and twenty-two sickles and… and fourteen knuts!" Cho and Padma were teaming up. Smart move. I sighed with relief.

"One hundred and twenty-two sickles and fourteen knuts… going once…going twice… SOLD to Cho Chang and Padma Patil!" called McGonagall.

"Wow," breathed Ian as I left the stage and Cho and Padma escorted me to the Staff Room.

The lunch was annoying. Cho and Padma were chatting and fighting about their summer plans and junk like that, and I was staring at Hermione most of the time, whow as laughing and talking with Neville. _Why did she have to bid on _him I thought angrily. _And _why,_ oh, _why _does she have to be laughing with him? And happy?_

Suddenly, Cho and Padma were rolling on the floor, smearing strawberry tarts all over each other. I took the chance to grab Hermione. "Hermione, I've got to talk to you," I said, whisking her away from her table. "Sorry, Neville."

Once we were able to stand still, I asked Hermione, "Do you like him?"

"Neville?" she said. "Well, he's nice---"  
"No, do you _like_ him?" I asked frantically.

"Oh," she replied. "No."

_C'mon, she said no!_ I thought. _Kiss her! You know you want to!_ I did want to. I began to, but she pulled away. It was silent. Everyone stared at Cho and Padma's frozen mess on the floor, Hermione's flushed cheeks, and my shocked face. I Disapparated.

I didn't see Hermione at dinner. She must've grabbed her leftovers and gone up to her room, because as Heady Boy and Head Girl, we get separate rooms form the rest of the school.

I went to her door and knocked. "Whoever you are, go away! I'm really not in the mood and I won't be for a week," I heard on the other side.

"Hermione!" I cried. "It's me, Harry! I've got to talk to you!"

"I said, GO AWAY!" she yelled back.

"But Hermione---" the door opened. Hermione stood in the doorway wearing an open light blue sweater, revealing her undergarments, and a pair of pink sweatpants.

"Harry," she said, "why are you stalking me all the time? First you shoo me off and then you decide you want me! What the hell is going on!"

I sighed. "Hermione---" I began, waiting for an interruption, and then continued when nothing happened. "I just didn't _know_ you. I didn't give you a chance. I'm really sorry. But now that I did get to know you, I like you. And now _you_ won't give _me_ a chance."

"Maybe if you hadn't been such a coward at Hal's I would still be willing to fall into your arms right now. And if you hadn't embarrassed us both down in the Staff Room," she said, starting to close the door.

"Hermione, wait!" I cried and lunged for the door.

"WHAT?" she bellowed in frustration.

I leaned in and kissed her passionately. And, to my surprise, she kissed me right back. After about thirty seconds, we pulled away.

"I owed it to you," I said, smiled, and walked away.

The second I got to my room, I started on a letter:

_Dear Bryce,_

_The Basket Boys Ceremony was weird. I'll tell you about it when school's over._

_And, no, I won't need your oak seeds._

_Sincerely,_

Harry 

I smiled. What a day.

**Hermione**

Hogwarts was back, Harry and I were Heady Boy and Head Girl, I passed my Apparition tests (unlike Ron), and Basket Boys was just around the corner.

We got the ballots during Transfiguration because of McGonagall being Head of House and all that, but I hated it because the boys sat ALL around me and would be peeking at my ballots. Sigh.

I first crossed off Harry, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle and made a tick next to Ron's name because, after all, he _was _my friend. Then I crossed off all the boys who were teases, drunks, drug addicts, clowns, jerks, and just not relatively nice, and was left with Neville Longbottom, Ian Crewe, Frank Buckingham, Thomas Moore, and, of course, Ron. I put a tick next to all these names, handed the ballot to McGonagall, and Disapparated once out fot he classroom, for it was forbidden to Apparate in school.

At breakfast the next day, everyone brought loads of money and were debating the list.

"We're going to have a hard time getting Harry," grumbled Parvati. "My sister and Cho have about one hundred and twenty-two sickles combined!"

Everyone groaned except me.

"What about Ron?" asked Luna, in her usual distant voice.

"You are NOT bidding on my brother," Ginny protested. "Besides, Mum's loaded his basket. Bulging Bullstrode's in for him."

"Or Harry," I added glumly. "Everyone's hungry for Harry."

"Oh, Hermione," said Lavender. "A girl with no curves whatsoever on her body because she is so monstrously fat is going to make anyone yell, 'A hundred galleons! Whatever you want! Just don't let _her_ get him!' "

Everyone laughed.

"Well, good luck getting Harry," said Parvati.

"I'm NOT getting Harry," I said defiantly. "Who else is on the list?"

"Hmmm…" muttered Lavender. "Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, MALFOY, CRABBE, AND GOYLE!"

"Blackmail," said Ginny plainly.

"For sure," I agreed flatly.

"Justin Finch-Fletchley, Brian Jones, John Anderson, Garrett Johnson, Frank Buckingham, George Murray, Ian Crewe, Thomas Moore, Eli Pinckney, A.J. Moran, Jeremy Hill, Ray Wesson, and Neville Longbottom."

Neville! Oh, what had I done to him? The poor kid.

"Hmm," Lavender grunted with satisfaction. "I'll probably go with Ian."

"What about A.J.?" asked Susan. "SO hot."

"My ex," Lavender reminded her as if she had forgotten what one plus one was.

"Good," said Susan.

"Yay! Brian!" Ginny exclaimed.

And so it went… until the bell rang for the ceremony to begin. As we entered the great hall, I noticed that Harry was missing. Yay! Maybe Cho could get a taste of her own medicine; she can't always get what she wants.

"Welcome," said McGonagall, as Harry Apparated into his seat ("Damn!" I muttered), "to the annual Basket Boys Ceremony."

I zoned out and had fantasies of escaping back to the States to Dad and Mum and Juli and getting swept away by a famous movie star and leaving Harry behind, when I suddenly noticed that Neville, the guy who I had stuck in this situation, was standing on the stage with no bids.

"Susan!" I hissed, and then yelled, "Ten!"

"What?" she hissed back.

"Yell, 'Twelve!' " I commanded.

"Twelve!" she yelled, and understood.

"Fourteen!" I said again.

"Sixteen!"

"Susan, that's all I've got!"

A look of shock crossed her face as I yelled, "Eighteen!" I laughed. "Okay, so I lied, but that really _is_ all I've got now."

I was escorted to the Staff Room with Neville. As everyone slowly came in (Harry, of course, was with Cho and Padma), I busied myself by talking and laughing with Neville. He was a nice guy, but a little on the nerdy side.

Suddenly, Cho and Padma were rolling on the floor, shrieking and smearing strawberry tarts all over each other. Harry ran up to me and whisked me up. "Hermione, I've got to talk to you," he said. "Sorry, Neville," he added to Neville.

Once we stood still, he asked me, "Do you lik ehim?"

"Who, Neville?" I asked, confused. "Well, he's nice---"

"No, do you _like_ him?" he interrupted.

"Oh," I replied just as quizzically as before. "No."

Suddenly, he leaned in to kiss me. My kiss! My whole history flashed before my eyes… the first time we met… and now here… but I pulled away. Here was my kiss, and I didn't want it. Suddenly, the room went silent. Everyone was staring at us. Harry Disapparated. I grabbed the remains of Harry's picnic basket and Disapparated as well. For once, I couldn't care less about the rules.

I didn't come down to dinner. I was unbelievably dizzy and confused about what had happened earlier on.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Urgh.

"Whoever you are, go away!" I called. "I'm really not in the mood and won't be for a week." Plus I am sitting here in my underwear.

"Hermione! It's me, Harry! I've got to talk to you!" said the voice on the other side of the door.

Ohh, man. "I said, GO AWAY!" I yelled, but nevertheless pulled on pink sweatpants and a light blue sweater.

"But Hermione---" he said as I opened the door.

I saw Harry standing there in a gray sweatshirt and jeans…and his eyes were on my chest. Shoot, I hadn't put a shirt on over my bra, and I just _had_ to pick the sweater whose zipper was broken. But I had no time to worry about that.

"Harry, why do you stalk me all the time?" I cried. "First you shoo me off and then you want me! What the hell is going on?"

He sighed. "Hermione… I just didn't _know_ you. I didn't give you a chance. I'm really sorry. But now that I did get to know you, I like you. And now _you_ won't give _me_ a chance."

"Maybe if you hadn't been such a coward at Hal's I would still be willing to fall into your arms right now. And if you hadn't embarrassed us both down in the Staff Room," I stated matter-of-factly and started to close the door.

"Hermione, wait!" he criend once again. Oh, G-d. Can't the guy get a clue?

"WHAT?" I yelled frustratedly.

He leaned in and kissed me quite passionately. And it wasn't that bad. I returned the favor. And during, I could've sworn he touched my half-bare chest. Guys. We pulled away.

"I owed it to you," he said, grinned, and walked away.

I couldn't help but smile. I'd gotten my kiss and, boy, was it better than I'd ever imagined. Wow.

Miracles _do_ happen… and oil and water _can_ rarely mix.

A/N: Good news: IT'S FINISHED! Bad news: It's finished. Hope you enjoyed. PLEEEAASSSEE review, no flames.


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